By now, I am sure you are aware of the changes made to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by the Obama Administration. Designed to address the barriers associated with employment of individuals with disabilities, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act outlines the compliance requirements for federal contractors.

Deciding whether to hire internally for your HR function or outsource HR is a critical decision, especially for organizations experiencing fast growth. If you are currently outsourcing HR functions to a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) and are considering bringing your HR in-house, there are several considerations you need to take into account before pulling the trigger.

Let’s be honest, Facebook is probably the number one social media site most people will participate in online. Their most recent stats say that they had 936 million daily active users on average for March 2015. For those of us who use it know that it allows you to connect with friends, family, peers, and in general those that “travel in your circle.” So most of us agree that it's a great place to "hang out" online. That said, is it the best place to recruit for talent? Facebook is not known to be a professional social networking site such as LinkedIn. As a recruiter, I have heard arguments for using - and not using - Facebook as a means to recruit and find qualified candidates. Let’s take a little time to examine the Pros and Cons of using Facebook to recruit.

Social Media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and even Instagram are a part of the modern workplace today. These tools are no longer just for personal use since many people use them in their professional lives as well. In the workplace, social media sites are being used for purposes such as marketing, employer branding, and corporate social responsibility. For instance, recruiters use LinkedIn to find and connect with candidates and sales professionals use it for lead generation. Many employees use Google + for the chat feature to connect instantly with colleagues or conduct industry Hangouts. As HR consultants, we are often asked about the pros and cons of allowing social media in the workplace when developing workplace social media policies.

As HR professionals, we know that having a Human Resource Information System (HRIS), also referred to as a HR Management System (HRMS), has a myriad of advantages. If implemented correctly, an HR technology platform allow for the most beautiful streamlining of processes. This includes taking out any manual steps that can sometimes lead to a single point of failure in any process.

I recently spoke with an HR leader who is considering moving to a new Applicant Tracking System (ATS) in the next year. Knowing that we are in the midst of implementing a new ATS, she wanted to know what kind of timeline she should have in mind. Generally speaking, to incorporate all recommended steps, it could take 4 to 5 months to make the change to a new ATS. In order to be fully prepared and have a process with some rigorous due diligence, consider the following timeframes: